Twelve Journalists to Participate in Strictly Financials Seminar

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A nationwide training training initiative to improve understanding of the financials and accounting so necessary for seasoned business journalists takes place in January in Tempe, Ariz. The weeklong "Strictly Financials Seminar" brings together a dozen working business journalists from around the country to Arizona State University. Fellowships cover the full cost of training, accommodations and meals. Applicants must have a minimum of two years of full-time business journalism experience.

Tentative Agenda

"We're offering this seminar in answer to requests from many participants in our one-day workshops who want to raise their sophistication level in all the financial aspects of business coverage," said Andrew Leckey, Director of the Reynolds Center. "Spending a week digging into balance sheets and accounting should provide a real boost to every journalist's expertise."

This seminar covers the essentials of covering financials, from stock markets and bonds to financial statements and company research. There will also be case studies and group exercises. It is an opportunity for business journalists to learn from experienced instructors and journalism professionals, with follow-up after the seminar ends as well.

The “Strictly Financials” fellows are:

Hanah Cho, The Sun in Baltimore
Roberta “Robbie” DiMesio, The Oregonian
Nell Luter Floyd, The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, Miss.
Delawese Fulton, The State, Columbia, S.C.
John Gittelsohn, The Orange County Register
Angela Gonzales, The Business Journal of Phoenix
Traci Gregory, The Mohawk Valley Business Journal
Beth Kassab, Orlando Sentinel
David Morrill, Bay Area News Group, Walnut Creek, Calif.
Stefanie Murray, Ann Arbor News
Denis Paiste, New Hampshire Union Leader
Kristen Tatti, Northern Colorado Business Report

The fellowships cover hotel, meals, materials and training, valued at $2,000 per person. Fellows will also receive a $500 participation payment, which can be used to help offset travel costs. Applicants for the Strictly Financials Seminar must provide (1) a letter explaining their experience in business journalism, (2) a resume and (3) a letter of support from the editor outlining the publication's interest in having the applicant go through the training.

Launched at the American Press Institute in 2003, the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism moved to the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in July 2006. Its programs include daylong business journalism workshops, weeklong online seminars, one-hour self-guided tutorials and the site www.businessjournalism.org.

The Center is funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, a national philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., it is one of the largest private foundations in the United States.

The Cronkite School at Arizona State, named in honor of the long-time CBS news anchor in 1984, is a leading professional journalism school with nearly 2,000 undergraduate and master's students.